I can’t go

{Camp Half-Blood, 24th of August 1998}

"No you may not." My father's monotone voice permeated through the room, his words sounding like a declaration of death.

"What do you mean!? Kevin is my best friend, and he has a quest how come I can't go!" I yelled at my father a small amount of anger starting to bubble deep within me.

"I will say it again Odysseus you can't go." My father once again spoke with his soothing and somewhat monotone voice.

"But why?!" I couldn't help but question "I am one of the strongest demigods at camp, is it just because of my age." I questioned him while staring directly into the shadowy outlines of his eyes.

"Your age is one reason, but that isn't it." Again my father said, again with his monotone and soothing voice. "Then tell me, the real reason." I yelled at him again clenching my fists in anger.

"I-I can't." My father said, his voice for the first time faltering as he looked at me. We both 'looked' at each other in silence for a few moments that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Fine." I replied with bitterness in my voice as I left his office and slammed the door behind me.

BAAMMM

After leaving my father's office the anger inside me only kept rising so I decided to go to the northern forest to let of some steam. Just as I left the big House Mr D said in his quipy voice "Where are you heading off to Oliver Seuss." But I didn't reply and just beelined straight towards the woods.

When I finally made it to the woods, my crows, Corvus, Skia and Randy flew down from a treetop and started flying around me. They all asked jittery at the same time "Master where are you going?"

I didn't want to take my anger out on them so took a deep breath and said in a monotone voice "Guys can you please leave me alone for today." They all looked at each other and said unanimously "Very well, Master." and flew off once again.

Being truly by myself in these woods I started picking up speed and ran at one of the groups of giant ants which my 'sight' had picked up. As I reached the ant's location I summoned all of my five tendrils from my shadows and sent them directly at the ants.

PHEWSH, PHEWSH, PHEWSH, PHEWSH, PHEWSH

Five distinct screeching sound were heard as my tendrils pierced the giant bodies of five different ants, when I retracted my tendrils from their bodies, they hit the ground with a heavy slam as blood started to come out of the place which I pierced.

-SKREECH-

The other ants as soon as they noticed their companions' death soon started running towards the spot where the tendrils had come from, that was me.

As I saw the horde of 20 something shadowy ants with huge red auras surrounding them I couldn't help but shout "COME AT ME YOU INSECTS!"

The tendrils moved, with power and motive. I used the tendrils to protect myself from the approaching horde acting as a form of shield. The ants attacked me with an unstoppable fervor, but even in my mad state I didn't let it cloud my judgement and I kept on dodging or blocking their clicking mandibles.

One by one, I unraveled them. Tendrils coiled around their legs, squeezing. Their carapaces cracked, head were pierced , ichor spilling forth.

Yet the horde pressed on. Their anger and my own coalescing into one. I reached deeper, tapping into the core of my being, I suddenly saw once again the being that I had seen once before in my dreams.

Yet like the fleeting wind, the vision dissipated, somehow my tendrils elongated, piercing the remaining ants' hearts.

Their screeches harmonized enveloping the entire forest in a symphony of agony. The ants collapsed, and they dissipated into the Tartarus. I stood amidst the silence forest, my breath ragged, tendrils retracting.

"That is somewhat better." I said with a blissful sigh as I looked upon the destruction my shadow tendrils had caused. I then left the forest but my crows didn't seem to be waiting for me as I couldnt 'see' them anywhere.it is

"Well if I can't go on the quest I should at least say my goodbyes to Kevin and help him prepare." I sighed once again remembering the conversation I had with him before about his sudden quest.

I went to the spot where most quest takers should be the day after receiving their quest, their cabin. I slowly walked towards the twelve Divine Cabins and made my way to the the Ares cabin, its form was as 'menacing' as walkways with barbed wire on the roof and the head of a boar hanging on the door.

I opened the door directly since knocking here was kind of useless, and as soon as I opened the door I could 'see' how all of the people inside turned to look at me.

"Hey I know I look good, but this is more attention than I deserve." I said at the Ares kids.

"Oh you little shi-" a kid on a top bunk bed said when he was quickly interrupted by a voice I could recognize "Hey, Ozzy what are you doing here?" Kevin asked as he walked towards me.

"Nothing much just wanted to talk to you about your quest since you will be leaving soon." I said flashing a smile. "Oh did you get your dad-" Before he even finished asking his question I shook my head. "Well that is disappointing, but what are you gonna do." He continued as we left the Ares cabin together.

"So who are you gonna pick?" I decided to ask him since he was the leader of the quest, "Not sure, but I am probably gonna go with Hugh after all we have pretty good battle chemistry after fighting against you for so long." He quipped as he ruffled my hair.

I took his hand off my head and started organizing my head once again which was already pretty disorderly because of my battle "Don't do that, dude you know I hate knowing how short I am." I said at him menacingly.

"Oh come on don't be like that after all you are only seven about to be eight." He replied back as he tried to put his hand on my head again. I dashed sideways and replied "Yeah, but still not cool being reminded I am the shortest at camp."

We continued talking as the day went on, we helped him prepare by first him picking a satyr for his quest, which honestly wasn't all that important, it was just a young satyr called Sebastian.

After that we went to the Athena cabin and 'grabbed' Hugh, we sparred a bit at the combat arena since it was the last time for a while we would be able to do it.

Then as night started to come we started heading towards the edge of the camp where Argus was waiting to take them to Long Island so they could start their quest. Just as they both started getting in the car I said "Good luck out there guys."

They both smiled at me their blue auras flaring as they replied back "Thanks, dude you keep on training." After that they both got into the magical car and sped away.

"Dad you can come out now." I said as I looked at the varnishing car, from behind a dense foliage a shadowy centaur with a huge blue aura stepped out "I know you think this is wrong of me Odysseus but it is for the best." With a somewhat sad tone as he looked at me.